


The Escape Plan Job

by JazzLolipop



Series: Forging a new life [2]
Category: Leverage
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-19
Updated: 2014-04-19
Packaged: 2018-01-20 00:01:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1489096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JazzLolipop/pseuds/JazzLolipop
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cassie has come to the team and she needs help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Escape Plan Job

**Author's Note:**

> We're now in Portland. The rest of this series will be set in Portland with the whole team.

“We're not actually open yet.”

“I'm not looking for a drink Hardison.” Hardison looked up from his tablet and jumped to his feet. “I need help.”

Sophie rounded the corner “Have you... Cassie!” she was at the young woman's side in two steps. “What happened?” Cassie let out a gasp of pain when she put her arm around her. Sophie retracted it quickly. “Sit down.” she said guiding her carefully to a table. “Hardison get Nate.” Hardison nodded and disappeared upstairs. 

Cassie looked up at Sophie, her face ashen, dark shadows under her eyes, “I'm in over my head, Sophie.” she admitted in a whisper. 

Sophie reached across the table, “We're going to help you. I promise.”

Hardison reappeared with Nate and Eliot. “What's wrong?” Nate asked cutting directly to the point. Cassie moved to shift over and make more room but winced in pain, her hand moving instinctively to cradle her side. 

“Let me look.” Eliot crouched down beside her.

“I'm fine.”

“I ain't asking.” Eliot said sternly. Cassie moved her arm and let Eliot roll her shirt up. Sophie pressed her hand to her mouth. Cassie's side was discoloured dark purple and greenish yellow. Eliot ran professional hands over her skin. “It looks worse than it is. No broken bones. You may have a fractured rib. These bruises are at least a day old. Why didn't you go to a hospital?”

“Needed to get to you guys.” Cassie hissed.

“Who did this to you?” Nate asked darkly.

“They work for Colonel Ki'way.”

“What are you going getting mixed up with guys like that?” Eliot asked covering her up again. 

“They found me.” Cassie said, “After the upheaval in Mali the Colonel needs to get out of the country. They wanted me to forge papers for him.” 

“To get him to America?” Nate asked. 

“That's right. This guy has slaughtered hundreds of people for profit. I wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole.”

“Tell me you didn't tell his guys that.” Sophie said setting down a glass of water and two pills. Cassie shrugged, her eyes glinting mischievously as she swallowed down the pain meds. “Very diplomatic.” 

“Why don't they just get another forger?” Hardison asked. 

“They probably already have,” Nate said thoughtfully, “but these type of people don't let these kind of things slide. They'll come after you.”

“They probably already know I'm in Portland. I didn't have time to cover my tracks properly. I'm so sorry guys. I didn't mean to put you in danger.” Cassie's head started to droop. 

“It's going to be OK.” Sophie said soothingly, “Just rest, You're safe now.” 

Eliot caught Cassie before she slid off her chair, “I got you.” he murmured scooping her upeasily, she was light, barely 5'3 and soft in his arms. She mumbled something sleepily then settled into his hold.

–

Sophie tiptoed back into the office. “She's out for the count.”

“What was in those pills?” Hardison peered at bottle.

“Hardison I want you to track Cassie.”

“She's in the other room Nate...”

“Track her from her last known location to here. I want to see how they would track her.”

“They are not me.” Hardison preened.

“Just do it Hardison.” Eliot growled. Hardison began tapping away at his keyboard. 

“So are we going to steal a colonel?” Parker asked. 

“No.” Nate said, “We're going to steal an escape plan. Hardison once you've found these guys I want you, Eliot, keeping close tabs on them. Hardison is going to fake up some papers for the colonel. Parker will switch their papers out for ours and we can alert the proper authorities. This doesn't have to get complicated.”

“And me?” Sophie asked.

“You stay with Cassie. She's pretty shook up, even if she won't admit it.”

“She shouldn't be moving about too much with those ribs of hers anyway.” Eliot growled. 

“We're going to get the people who did this to her and hold a dangerous criminal to justice.” Nate said.

“All in a day's work.” Sophie smiled.

–

“Ok Hardison, tell me what you've got.” Nate handed Cassie a mug of tea.

“Cassandra Micheals. Forger. Born in Brooklyn got a scholarship to study art history at NYU... I'm sorry it's weird with her just sitting there.”

Cassie grinned as she warmed her hands around the mug. “You're doing a great job Hardison. Come on I want to see my greatest hits.”

Hardison pulled a face but clicked on, “Best known for art forgery. High profile stuff mostly from the Dutch masters and Pre-Raphaelite eras. Seven known aliases. Worked with some people who are more into official papers which is how she... you... attracted the attention of the Malians.”

“I don't really do identity papers.” Cassie said, “I dated a guy during college. Taught me the basics but they're boring. No soul.” Sophie chuckled and Cassie laughed then winced touching her still tender side. Eliot handed over a bottle of pills. “I really don't want to pass out again.”

“Just pain pills. Take two.” Cassie grinned ruefully and dutifully washed them down with a mouthful of tea. “Where are the Malian's now?”

“Tracked them to Seattle. The Colonel is due to fly in next week under one name then going through customs under another one. That's what he needs a forger for. I've got a whole set of papers ready for him just need to switch them for whatever he's got ready.”

“OK, guys let's head to Seattle.”

Cassie went to stand up, “No. You stay put.” Eliot ordered. She went to protest but slumped back down again. 

“Don't worry.” Sophie said, “They don't need a grifter for this one. You and I can catch up. And you can recuperate.” Cassie hid a grimace behind her mug.

–

“OK, let's keep it simple. Eliot stir 'em up. Parker do the switch. Hardison you have the cameras.”

Hardison bent over his laptop in the airport coffee shop. “I got four waiting in the arrivals lounge.”

“I'm on it.” Eliot pulled out a hipflask and took a quick sip swirling it around his mouth. He stumbled into the largest of the henchmen. “Sorry there man I... woah.” he fell into him again. 

“What where you are going.” he said thickly.

“Man. No need to be like that.” he punched him in the shoulder. His companions stood up. Eliot kicked the briefcase under the table. 

Parker set down the replacement briefcase and scooped theirs up. “Switch made.” she whispered hurrying away.

Eliot groaned as he took a fist to the stomach. “Get out of there Eliot.” Nate said over the comms.

“Yeah.” he huffed. “I'll just be going.” he lurched away. 

–

Hardison grinned as he watched Colonel Ki'way led away by Homeland Security. “I should think so. I did everything but tie a bow around him for them.”

“You don't need to worry about those guys any more.” Parker smiled.

“Thank you.” Cassie said sincerely. “Really. I owe you.”

“Nonsense.” Sophie said warmly hugging her carefully. “In fact we were thinking...”

“We want you to stick around.” Parker said excitedly jumping up and down in her seat.

“Are you serious?” Cassie asked.

“If you don't think you'd be too bored in Portland.” Nate shrugged.

Cassie smiled widely. “I could stay for a while, I guess.” her eyes flickered over to Eliot. “If everyone's OK with that.”

“Yeah.” Hardison grinned. Eliot nodded but a small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth.

“Welcome to the team.” Nate said.

–

Eliot passed through HQ. It was silent, Parker and Hardison were out entertaining themselves. Nate and Sophie were at the theatre seeing some sort of interpretive piece. He turned his head at a small, snuffling noise. Cassie was curled up on the couch. Eliot smiled, she looked much younger tucked in on herself. He pulled out a soft woollen blanket and draped it over her. His foot nudged a sketchbook on the floor by the couch. He leant down and picked it up smoothing out the pages. His eyes fell on the charcoal sketches. It was them. Parker and Hardison. Nate and Sophie sneaking peeks at each other. Eliot himself, his hair scraped back. He set the book down carefully. Cassie was going to be trouble. He could already tell. Really, really good trouble.


End file.
